The concept of your collection?

[TheBeatlesPkmnFan42]

I have no theme or concept. I get ponies from all generations, and get them if I simply don't have them yet. I even get different versions of one pony (like to 1,000 different core 7 variants out there). The only things I don't get are fakies, unless they're really cute. The most rare pony I have is probably Goldilocks, and she's not even worth much.

[knitgirl]

There is no theme to my collection, but I have different shelves and areas set up for some of them... such as my sea ponies in a fish tank, 1 shelf for my tropical ponies, and one shelf for my wedding/love themed ponies... Oh and one shelf for the MLP sewing machine, patterns and the buttons ponies since they are crafty

[Sandi]

I collect all generations and both rare and common ponies. I tend to like rare ones though. I love the euro babies, the mountain boys, Mimic, and the rarer TAFs etc, but not because they're rare. There are some rare ponies that I don't like that much, Rapunzel and Sweet Scoops for instance. I don't dislike them but I would never pay those prices for them.

I don't collect fakies, mainly because i don't like most of them. Not as much as original mlp at least. There are some nice ones though, like totsys, takaras, and princess rns.

[Rosette]

My theme is 'because I love them'.  I am not a completist, usually, but I like the sense of unearthing and recreating the past that having MOCs brings me.

[Taxel]

Sounds like your friend is somewhat of a jerk. :/

Anything anyone collects is special to THEM, and that's what matters. You don't need a "theme" to your collection, that's ridiculous. If you want to collect within a theme, go for it, but thinking every has to collect just like you. . .hahaha no.

If I *had* to name the "theme" of all my collections, it would be: what I like. I buy what I like, for all of my collections, and stick to that. If I don't like something I'm not gonna waste my money to buy it. If I had to name my MLP collection's own "theme", I guess it'd be: saving baity G1s from customizers/uninformed people who would throw them away/etc. I love my G1s to be very baity, and prefer them without tails. I usually love haircuts on them too. But there are some ponies I would only want in mint condition or something, like the Art/SDCC/Fair Ponies I want all MIB, so I don't let my love of "baity" ponies restrict me.

Like others I go through collecting phases, and right now my pony collection is chilling out on hold, so to speak. I'm selling off some of my collection and focusing on buying dolls because I'm having and easier time storing, displaying, and cleaning dust (HUGE problem in my room) off of them. It makes me sad to see my ponies covered in dust and to not be able to keep up with keeping them perfectly clean. I actually need to take a chunk of my ponies off display due to it. ):

[ponylady]

What concept??? 

No really though I started out collecting only babies and that ended quickly. 

Now I buy whatever appeals to me at the moment.  It could be a G3, G1 a G4 or even a G2???  It just depends on my mood.

[CrimsonEtClover]

The theme of my collection: Prettyness!

[GazeboMouse]

Childhood memories, still have my 3 childhood ponies, but have collected ponies that featured in my Panini sticker album, and ones my childhood friend had that I envied. I have also collected Earth babies. I am trying to complete my childhood album and collect anything early G1 earth pony that I remember and liked from the 80s.

[NovelNerd]

I only buy the ones I like...completely simple.

Wait..wait sometimes I buy the ones my wife likes.

[Goldilocks]

I have miscellaneous ponies that I like/belong to my childhood collection, but...

My favorites are themes ; the only ponies I have on display:
-wedding/love
-flowers/summer
-mom+baby/family

The exception are my two Glow 'n Shows and two Perfume Puffs which will always have a place in my display cabinet

I just think they look more special and uniform that way and there's more challenge to find everything flower pony/love pony etc.

[Stroggos]

Personal Essay Incoming..

Rare fashion styles/ show accurate brushables (G4).

When I first started collecting I started out with regular brushables, but found myself looking for more specific things after getting Applejack with bangs from eBay and RD/cheerilee with bangs from Arena members (thank you!). After that I got FS white celest and celest/rarity, and Bubble Horse boxed about a month before comic con. I have an Earth pony dash coming to me aswell, and I think after I'll see if I can track down a bangs FS applejack (any traders reading this, make note lol).

I did Industrial Design at university and part of the appeal to me of the rarer ones is that they are prototypes from before they are mass manufactured. A lot of the work I did was taking things from concept stage to production prototypes or model work, so I like that the rarer ones I have are from before they were finalised and made what is considered by the industry to be "generic". Industrial designers tend to consider things that are in production as being in infinite supply, but things that are production prototypes special one-offs.

On a less professional note, I will confess the G4 show has been very nurturing for me, and my ponies incredibly reassuring and inspirational in times of personal crisis. Whenever I've been deeply upset I've always taken care to have them near me, to remind me to keep to my better qualities. My applejack and rarity have got me through a lot, and I'd be heartbroken to part with them.

I appreciate this is a wall of text, but I hope somepony gets something out of it. Life's not all smiles, so it's important to cherish the good things. 

[Sonata]

Well, I collect ponies because I wish to have more of the toys I mostly liked when I was a child - that is also why I wish to give priority to G1s, although I end up buying a bit of everything here and there. I don't have an impressive collection yet, I only have about 50 or so, and I don't care if they are rare/HTF or whatever. I just like the ones I like and that's it. I also don't have a theme. I just collect because ponies are inspiring to me and are pretty to look at and that's enough for me.

[Tribble79]

I get ponies whose symbols I love! I also collect custom ponies. I have about the same amount of custom ponies that I do of just regular ponies. I don't have an army yet, but I want an army of a pony friend - Spunky the camel. I love all pony generations and fakies, so I have some of them all in my little collection.

[mlp4me]

Whatever g1 I can get my grubby lil hands on, the more the merrier, not picky...

Sounds like you may need to have a little chit chat with your friend to let them know how you feel about their comment. You're allowed to collect whatever ponies you want even if there's no rhyme or reason!

[keylimepony]

I tend to be drawn to the ponies with food symbols. I also really like yellow and that green/ turquoise color in ponies. There really isn't any other theme as I buy what I like. It was only after I looked at my herd did I notice the few unintentional themes.